Military suicides, congress and clueless

For two members of congress military suicides are a personal issue. Maybe now there will be something done to stop them from happening. But while there have been many congressional hearings, there hasn't been much listening going on. After reading this, there hasn't been much learning either.

(Army Lt. Gen. Thomas) Bostick said that the Army is trying to figure out why suicides among soldiers with multiple deployments are climbing.

"It's early. We don't know why that's happening, but we're looking at it very closely," he said.

Did he really say that? It's early? For heaven's sake! Did he just arrive in the Army? They've been talking about military suicides since 2003 when they started to come out with their "prevention programs" to prevent PTSD.
Battlemind

Mental orientation

In the definition provided by the U.S. Army Medical Command
"Battlemind is the Soldier's inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage. Key components include:
Self confidence: taking calculated risks and handling challenges.
Mental toughness: overcoming obstacles or setbacks and maintaining positive thoughts during times of adversity and challenge."[1]
The significance of Battlemind in the Medical Command's context is that "Battlemind skills helped you survive in combat, but may cause you problems if not adapted when you get home."[1]
Initial writings on the subject focused on the utility of battlemind while in service,[2] while several recent works focus on treatment and self-help.[3][4

In 2007 I wrote how Battlemind was not working when this report came out.


Department of Defense and Revenge of the Sith
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007

The task force was formed through the 2006 National Defense Appropriations Act to examine the current state of military mental health practices and processes. The panel is now collecting information through visits to multiple military installations, document reviews, specialists’ opinions and town hall-style meetings. The panel is scheduled to provide its report to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in May. Reservists are assessed for mental health issues during both pre- and post-deployment phases, Army Maj. Clemens Presogna, a nurse and reservist assigned to U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort McPherson, Ga., told members of the task force....................


..............“We really need to train and reinforce actions that soldiers, leaders and buddies can take,” Thomas said. The Battlemind system, he added, requires “emphasis on looking out for your buddy, and for small-unit leaders to look out for their soldiers.” Another troop mental health assistance initiative is the Combat and Operational Stress Control Program implemented in October 2006 by the Marine Corp Reserve’s 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, said Dr. Tania Glenn, a military contractor who co-manages the program.

“This is a Marine-to-Marine advocacy and education program,” Glenn explained. “We are teaching Marines how to identify and help other Marines.” The COSC program utilizes peer-to-peer discussion and monitoring, she said, to assist in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental stress and burnout among Marines returning from combat overseas. Actively discussing mental health issues represents “a culture shift in the Marine Corps,” but not a massive change, said Glenn, noting the COSC program could be likened to adding high-potency vitamins to a servicemember’s normal field rations. Returning Marines experiencing heightened emotions caused by “mindset conditioning” during combat tours are provided counseling and assistance while transiting to stateside assignments, Glenn said.

Considering they were talking about "vitamins" and getting them to "train their brains" to fight against PTSD, that should have sent an alarm bell off across the country. But that wasn't enough.

As for the redeployments, they knew it back in 2006.

So after all these years of hearings in Congress, all the claims made by the military to be learning from their mistakes, we see the numbers go up and yet, yet they still have to come out with something as clueless as saying "It's early. We don't know why that's happening, but we're looking at it very closely,"

For two lawmakers, military suicides hit too close to home
By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Unit
September 9, 2011 9:02 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Reps. Joe Heck and Judy Chu have personal connections with military suicides
They both spoke during an Armed Services Committee hearing on Friday
A soldier under Heck's command recently committed suicide
Chu's nephew, a Marine, killed himself after an alleged hazing incident

Washington (CNN) -- For years, the Pentagon and Congress have worried over the problem of military suicides. The House Armed Services Committee held another hearing on this life-and-death issue Friday, but this time, it was more than studies and statistics.

For two members of Congress, suicide is an issue they know intimately.

"This is -- especially right now -- a bit of a personal issue for me," said Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nevada, a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. "I just had a soldier recently under my command commit suicide.

"He was actually seen two hours earlier by another member of his unit. And both had been through the Army Reserve Suicide Prevention Training Program. And his colleague did not recognize anything that was out of the ordinary. And two hours later this other soldier took his own life."

Rep. Judy Chu, D-California, is not a member of the committee, but she was allowed to participate in the hearing because of her personal interest in the issue.

She told the story of 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, who got in trouble when he first arrived in Afghanistan for falling asleep while on watch. Chu said his sergeant told Lew's fellow Marines to "teach" him.

"Lance Corporal Lew was beaten, berated and forced to perform rigorous exercise. He was forced to do push-ups and leg lifts wearing full body armor, and sand was poured in his mouth. He was forced to dig a hole for hours. He was kicked, punched and stomped on. And it did not stop until 3:20 am," Chu told the committee.

Chu said that a few minutes later, "Lance Corporal Lew climbed into the foxhole that he just dug and shot himself and committed suicide.

"Lance Corporal Lew was my nephew."
read more here

Last year I asked Congressman Filner why they were holding hearings just about the problems and never seemed to hold any on what was working. He said he people like me should be heard but that was the last of that conversation. I should have asked him when they were planing on holding hearings on who was responsible for this callousness. After all, insisting on repeating the same failed approach shows they have not cared enough to learn anything.

Reading that "Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick Deputy Chief of Staff G-1, United States Army" with "EDUCATIONAL DEGREES: United States Military Academy – BS – No Major Stanford University – MS – Civil Engineering Stanford University – MS – Mechanical Engineering" we should be wondering why he was answering questions on this matter. There are several Generals that already came out and admitted they have PTSD, sought help and were still able to keep their careers. Why not have them testify?

The reports go all the way back to the 70's on PTSD but the same questions are being asked all over again. The same research is being done all over again. The same results followed. Yet somehow they wonder why Soldiers with PTSD were at increased risk for suicide

Services still grappling with suicide trends
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 9, 2011 17:36:03 EDT
Suicide prevention programs appear to have contributed to the dip in self-inflicted deaths among active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines in 2010, but the services must continue addressing the problem in the face of some disturbing trends seen so far this year, military leaders told lawmakers Friday.

Efforts such as the Marine Corps’ Operational Stress Control and Readiness program, the Army’s resiliency counseling and efforts to reduce the stigma of mental health counseling, as well as the Air Force’s at-risk identification program, are reaching troops, military leaders told the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel panel.

But there is more to do as the wars wind down and the Defense Department faces possible budget cuts, officials and lawmakers agreed.

“Talking about success in suicides, unless you get no suicides, is not appropriate,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel.

“Suicides are a loss that we simply cannot accept,” agreed Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Milstead Jr., deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs. “Leaders at all levels of the Marine Corps are personally involved in efforts to help address and prevent future tragedies.”

Rear Adm. Anthony Kurta, DoD’s director of military personnel plans and policy, said the Navy is “regrettably” seeing an increase in its suicide rate this year compared to 2010.

He added that historically, the Navy has seen a spike in the year following a drawdown — something that has happened three times in the past 20 years.

The Army, which saw a decline in active-duty suicides in 2010 but an uptick in rates among National Guard and Reserve troops, must continue developing its programs, Bostick said.
read more of this here